Tuesday, July 05, 2011

Want Your Employees To Be Happier? Here's a simple exercise that works . . .

Remember, happier employees are more productive employees.

And, how about you? Could you use little boost in your worldview?

We all could.

This from the excellent blog at: http://www.bakadesuyo.com/whats-an-easy-way-to-be-much-happier

"Jeremy Dean's amazing Psyblog provides us with three studies that show a consistent theme: take the time to write down the things you are thankful for on a regular basis and you can improve your level of happiness:

"Emmons and McCullough (2003) were surprised to find that happiness could be increased by a simple gratitude exercise. Participants took the time to write down 5 things they were grateful for each week, for 10 weeks. At the end of the study this group were 25% happier than a comparison group who simply listed five events from the week.

"Lyubomirsky et al. (2005) compared practising gratitude three times a week with once a week. They found that only those who carried out the exercise once a week were happier. This suggests overdoing the gratitude is not beneficial - perhaps because of habituation.

"Seligman, Steen, Park and Peterson (2005) carried out a randomised, placebo-controlled study. They followed participants up 6 months after they had begun carrying out a simple gratitude exercise and found they were happier and less depressed than a control group. In this study, though, participants initially wrote about what they were grateful for every day for a week."

Sound like so much of that "soft-skills" stuff in a hard, tough, and getter tougher by the day business world?

It is and at this point in time, it is easy to fall into a cynical despair. But, look around. Count your blessings. 30% percent of the world will go hungry tonight.

For me, today, the need to look around and be grateful is more important than ever. One of my former law partners, Hershell Barnes, from whom I learned much and whom I respected highly died of a heart attack this morning in Dallas, Texas. I am grateful he was in my life. I am thankful I still have a life.

And, mostly, I am thankful for the people who make it rich, rewarding, and yes, occasionally even exciting.

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